Boots for farm work

[LittleblackMorgan]

This has been discussed, I am sure.
My 2 horses are coming home Saturday (SQUEE!!). I’ve been a lifelong boarder, part time groom/exerciser/stall cleaner for years off and on, but never had them home.
I need boots.
Whilst building things in my barn, I’ve worn my steel toed Timberlands, which are waterproof and heavy duty, but they HURT after a few hours due to old shin splints.
I used to work in my Ariat Heritage’s (I think I am on pair 4 now, in like 8 years?) but I know they wont hold up to daily stall cleaning and sloughing through the eventual mud and snow.

I have some Ice Riders for the snow, rain boots for the rain, and a worn-out pair of Ariat’s that I actually wear during my day job (I like to have a pair for riding and a pair for work, when the work ones get ugly, I rotate them to the barn and the barn ones to the trash as they have usually popped seams by then).

I don’t mind dropping some cash on a GOOD pair of work boots. But they have to be waterproof (within reason), sturdy, and fit in a stirrup. Also, I have flat feet that are wide, so they have to be comfy.

AND GO!!
TIA

[BeckyS]

Personally, I use a pair of 20 dollar rubber knee boots with good insoles (I like the Job Site ones) and change out for riding.

My current pair is to its sixth year or so. Still waterproof, worn a lot of hours every week.

[HungarianHippo]

When my running shoes “expire” due to mileage, they get rotated to Barn Duty for summer mucking and general barn tasks. And then I just toss them when they’re too grungy. If I’m doing anything like chainsawing, construction, etc I’ll wear my sturdy Red Wing workboots.
For winter stalls, feeding and quick walks out to the barn, usually I’ll just step into my insulated muck boots (I like “Perfect Storm” brand-- not as expensive but just as good as Muck brand, IMO). For more foot support and for riding, I have insulated Ariat Heritages that are ok. Pretty comfortable but the laces constantly become loose, which drives me freaking crazy.

[DressageFancy]

Muck boots for wet, cold, mucking stalls, shoveling snow and about everything except hot dry summer! I even ride in them during really cold weather. Above 35 degrees I change to my paddock boots to ride and then back to my muck boots as soon as I’m done ridding.

[Robin]

Don’t know if this is possible where you live, but I finally found good work boots
at a supply store for dairy farmers. These folks work all year round in messy,
wet conditions which require a lot of time on their feet. Footwear is important.

And I am about as hard to fit as is possible. I have a smallish foot but very wide. On top of that, I am very short (only 5’ tall) and most boots are too high.
I was surprised that the folks at the dairy supply were well supplied with work clothes for women but I should have realized that farm wives are just as likely as their husbands to be working in the barn.

The only caveat is that most of their products are not suitable for stirrups; you would have to change to a riding boot for safety in the saddle as the boots I was shown have too much tread to ride in them safely.

[js]

I have a couple pair of Ariat H2O’s for daily barn wear. They are waterproof, comfortable and you can ride with them. I have the zip terrain H2O and a pair of the western ones, also H2O (don’t think they are made anymore). I like the western ones, they are easy to pull on quickly, roomy for my foot and have held up to some serious abuse. The terrains have a slightly narrower foot.

[rizzodm]

I bought these and love them! https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ariat-womens-camrose-h20-insulated-11331

They are warm, waterproof, comfy and will fit in a stirrup.

[imaginique]

I wear Ariat Terrain H2Os except when it’s cold, then I wear Muck Boots.

[egrubbs]

I do bean boots! I’ve got the mocs and I love them. They are a hair too big and will work to add heavier socks if needed for winter!

[GotMyPony]

Blundstone Pull-On Boots. They are made for hiking so very comfortable but have been appropriated by many riders for barn work and riding - endurance riders like them; unlike the Ariat sneaker type shoes Blunnies are oiled leather and waterproof to start with, and can be re-juvenated with a thin coat of Nik-Wax once a year or so. Love mine, don’t wear anything else around horses.